Dual tube pneumatic life preserver belt



Oct. 19, 1948. a M 2,451,475

DUAL TUBE PNEUMATIC LIFE PRESERVER BELT Filed July so, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS LLOYD A. STRA ITS BY EDWARlwL I ATTO NEY Oct. 19, 1948. E. c. cRAl ETAL 5 5 DUAL TUBE PNEUMATIC LIFE PRESERVER BELT Filed July 30, 1,942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 VENTO LLOV A.5RA/T$ EDWARD c. CRAIG Patented Oct. 19, 1948 DUAL TUBE PNEUMATIC LIFE PRESERVER BELT Edward C. Craig and Lloyd A. Straits, United States Navy Application July 30, 1942, Serial No. 452,823

(Granted under the act of. March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 2 Claims.

. This invention relates to: a dual tube life belt and has for an object to provide a life belt of the gas cartridge type having two tubes, which tubes are adapted to be quickly filled by a single operatiom A further object of this invention is to provideav dual tube life belt having twice the flotation power of a single tube life belt, yet capable of.- being' filled by a single operation as quickly as a lifebeltof the single tube type.

A further. object of this invention is to provide a. single operating mechanism capable of simultaneously releasing the gas from two independent gas cartridges to fill both tubes of the dual type life belt simultaneously.

A further object of this invention is to provide a. dualtype life belt capable of being carried in aqsnug fitting. position about the waist of the wearer when in operative position, and having an expansion section enabling it to enlarge to a size to slide-up the trunk of the wearer when inflated and in the water so as to provide the flotation support about the. chest just below the arms.

A further object of this inventon is to provide a dual type life belt having a single operating mechanism for simultaneously filling each tube from: an: independent gas pressure cartridge and also having each tube provided with an independent valve and tube of sufficient size to permit rapid oralinfiation or re-infiation, as necessary, to keep the proper pressure within the tube.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a dual type life belt provided with an independent gas cartridge operating mechanism capable of releasing the pressure from both cartridges to their tubes simultaneously and actuated by asing'l'e. squeezing movement of one hand of thewearer.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a dual tube life belt capable of easily and quickly being actuated from the deflated to the inflated position by the wearer, even after he is already in the water.

Withv the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

1 is a plan view. invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partly sectional, fragmentary view of the pressure cartridge end of the dual tube life belt.

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 3.

f the life belt of this Fig. 5 is a top' edge view of the uninflated life belt as it would appear when placed about the waist of the wearer; and

Fig. 6 is a. sectional view on line- 6'-6 of Fig. 1-.

There isshown at H) the dual type life belt of this invention, consisting of a pair of substantially identical pneumatic tubes, H and I2, hinged together longitudinally by a strip t3 cemented along the side thereof. Each tube l I and His so folded longitudinally in deflated position that it has a plurality of accordion pleats [4 formed therein, here shown as three in number. At spaced points along the belt there are provided pairs of maleand. female clip straps [5-, with snap fasteners 19 for releasably holding the accordion pleats folded together in the flat position shown. in

Figs. 2-, 5, and 6. The snap fasteners I9 on these clip straps i5 are of such strength that they will disengage whenever the tubes are expanded by pneumatic pressure, thus enabling the tubes toexpand to their maximum.

In addition tov each of the tubes being provided with these accordion pleats which enable them to: expand. transversely, the belt It} is also provided,

with a longitudinal pleat as at 6, and adapted; to be held in this longitudinal pleated position by means of clip straps l! having cooperating male and female snap fastener elements I8- thereon. at the outer edges of the tubes. Extendingv across the upper surface. of the belt there is provided a pair of cooperating straps 29 having a plurality of cooperating male and female. snap fastener elements 2| for releasably holding this fold of the pleat lfiina folded position. These snap fasteners..-

on the clip straps l5, I1, and 20 are all adapted tounfastenunder the force of. pneumatic pressure within the tubes, this permitting the belt H) to lengthen simultaneously with its expansion.

One end of the belt H! is provided with a sealing strip 22. Closing off such end is a buckle porhon-:23, slidaby mounted over the end of the belt, and provided with a hooked tongue 24 for cooperating with a slotted tongue 25 forming part of acasing fastened to the other end ofthe belt II]. By sliding the buckle23 along the belt I U, the belt can be: adjusted to snugly fit the waist of thewearer, even though the; girth of thewearermay vary within wide limits. This casing 26 includes. a pair ofgas 21.. The end; of one tube II is hermetically s'e'e cured to one of the tubes 21 as at 28 and similarly the end of the other tube I2 is hermetically secured to the other cylinder 21, likewise as at 28.

These cylinders 21 are of such a size as to slidably receive gas cartridges 30 therein. Caps 3|,

cartridge receivin cylinders.

each provided with a cartridge puncturing point 32, are adapted to be threaded as at 33 onto the cylinder 21 and are each provided with a spring 34 for yieldably retaining the cartridge 30 away from contact with the puncturing point 32. To prevent loss of the caps 3|, they are each provided with a retaining ring 35 slidably fitting about a reduced neck 36 and held to the casing 26 by a string 31. These caps 3| are knurled as at 38, permitting them to be easily removed for loading the cartridge 30 into the cylinder.

To insure the cap providing a pressure-tight fit with the cylinder, a rubber gasket 40 is held in a recess against a shoulder 4| and adapted to be contacted by the end of the cap 31.

The cylinder 21 is provided with a plurality of longitudinal ribs 42 so as to hold the cartridge centrally therewithin but provide a passageway for the gas from the punctured end of the cartridge 30 through an opening 43 in the other end of the cylinder 21 to enter into the tubes H and I2. Extendable through opening 43 is a cammed toe 44 pivoted as at 45 and provided with a somewhat curved lever handle 46. As will be seen in Fig. 3, the lever handles 46 extend in opposite directions from each other and when caused to approach each other to the positions 46, the toes 44 extend through the openings 43 and push the cartridges 30 away from the bottom of the cylinder so as to push their opposite ends into puncturing contact with the punctured points 32. Upon release of pressure on lever on lever handles 46, the springs 34 push the now punctured cartridges away from the points 32, thereby permitting the gas pressure within the cartridges to travel along the cylinders 21, through the openings 43, and into the tubes H'and [2, to inflate the belt.

In addition to the gas cartridge for inflating each tube H and I2, there is provided an oral inflating means for each tube, consisting of an inflation tube 41 secured to a belt tube inlet 48 at one end thereof while the other end is provided with an oral valve 50. Inasmuch as these tubes 41 must be of sufficient length to reach from the waist to the mouth if necessary, they are held in position longitudinally of the belt 10 by means of a plurality of tunnel patches through which the inflation tubes 41 extend.

In operation, the belt 10, with all the snap fasteners joined to hold the belt in folded position, is placed about the waist of the wearer, the buckle 23 being slid along the belt to make the belt snugly flt the particular individual, and the hooked tongue 24 is secured in the slotted tongue 25. When an emergency occurs and it is desired to inflate the belt 10, the wearer places his hand about the end of the belt over the two hand levers 46, squeezes the hand lever 46 within the tubes quickly towards each other, and lets go. This punctures both gas cartridges 3!! and inflates both tubes H and 12, the pressure bein sufficient to cause the snap fasteners to separate, permitting the belt to expand both transversely and longitudinally. The hinge strip 13, being on one side only, permits both tubes to inflate to their maximum capacity. This action usually takes place as'the wearer is entering or has entered the water. Due to the release of the longitudinal fold in the belt 10, the diameter of the inflated belt is now sufilciently' greater than the diameter of the uninflated belt as to enable the belt to slide upwardly from the waist position to a chest position and support the wearer so that his head will easily remain out of the water.

If any of the pressure should escape for any reason or should the cartridge 30 be missing or unavailable, the belt may be inflated or reinflated by means of the mouth through the oral valves 59 of the inflation tubes 41.

Other modifications and changes in the number and proportions of the parts may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the nature of this invention, within the scope of what is hereinafter claimed.

The invention described herein may be manufactured by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Havin thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. A dual tube life preserver comprising a life belt consisting of a pair of individual tubes longitudinally hinged together, means for simultaneously inflating both tubes with a pressure medium, each of said tubes being provided with longitudinally extending accordion pleats enabling said belt to expand, and means for releasably holding said accordion pleats in folded position while said belt is in deflated position said releasable means being operated by said pressure medium entering into said tubes.

2. A dual tube life preserver comprising a life belt consisting of a pair of individual tubes lonitudinally hinged together, and means for simultaneously inflating both tubes with a pressure medium, each of said tubes being provided with longitudinally and transversely extending accordion pleats enabling said belt to expand and increase in girth, and means lng said accordion pleats in folded position while said belt is in deflated position said releasable means being operated by said pressure medium entering into said tubes.

EDWARD C. CRAIG. LLOYD A. STRAITS. 5

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS for releasably hold- 

